The Duchess of Malfi comes to the Old Vic

A theatrical production of The Duchess of Malfi comes to the London stage next month, organisers have announced.

The production will open at the Old Vic Theatre in Waterloo on March 17th, so it could be an ideal night out for arts lovers staying at nearby central London hotels.

Starring Eve Best in the leading role, the production is directed by Jamie Lloyd and is a revival of John Webster's great Jacobean tragedy.

The Duchess of Malfi is set in the Italian Renaissance court of Amalfi and tells the dark story of a recently widowed duchess who struggles to hold on to strength and dignity in the face of death and corruption.

The duchess acts against the wishes of her brothers and secretly marries her lover, which results in repercussions and vengeance.

Despite the wave of treachery, envy and bloodshed that surrounds her, the duchess remains calm, strong and dignified until the very end.

Previews of the production begin on March 17th and the play is scheduled to go on until June 9th. Performance times are at 14:30 GMT on Wednesdays and at 19:30 GMT from Monday to Saturday.

Best most recently appeared in the 2011 production of Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London and won a prestigious Olivier Award in 2006 for her performance as Hedda Gabler at the Almeida.

The British actress, whose screen credits include the Duchess of Windsor in the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech and Dr Eleanor O'Hara in hit US TV drama Nurse Jackie, last appeared at the Old Vic Theatre opposite American actor Kevin Spacey in a Moon for the Misbegotten in 2006-07.

John Webster was a 16th – 17th century English dramatist who, apart from The Duchess of Malfi, is perhaps best known for his revenge tragedy The White Devil, which debuted in 1612.

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